Specialized sports footwear intended specifically for fulfilling particular requirements characteristic of various sports activities (skiing, football, tennis, various specialized kinds of running, rock-climbing, etc.) is known.
Orthopaedic footwear shaped for correcting defective walking and defects of the foot and of the lower limbs in general is also known.
Furthermore, it is known that, as well as protecting the foot and ensuring a suitable distribution of the load on the sole of the foot irrespective of roughness and unevenness of the supporting ground, combined with comfort and support in use, suitably formed footwear can also perform a useful massage function with a therapeutic effect, stimulating circulation, improving muscle tone and mobilizing stiffened joints.
Moreover, it is known that massage also has an indirect effect which may be manifested by means of nervous reflexes at a distance from the region treated in the form of more or less long-lasting vaso-motorial reactions, according to the location of the stimulation surface, its extent, and the type of stimulation.
In general, it is known that massage, whether performed manually or by suitable equipment, produces stresses of various kinds such as rubbing, repeated impacts, kneading, vibration, and even local puncture, this latter technique being known as acupuncture or Chinese massage.
For a brief but effective and exhaustive description of the various forms of massage and of its therapeutic use, reference may be made to the term "MASSAGGIO" (MASSAGE) on pp. 170, 173, Vol. III of the Enciclopedia medica per tutti (Medical Encyclopaedia for all)--Istituto Geografico De Agostini, 1969.
Implementation of the various massage techniques which, in order to be effective, have to be repeated over time in accordance with suitable programmes, requires a specific competence and the support of specialized practitioners.
Treatment is therefore expensive and demanding and, both for reasons of cost and because of the personal commitment required, is not easily accessible to a large public.